Nestled in the
Carolina mountains along Interstate 40 is Asheville,
North Carolina. This town boomed in the early 20th century as a resort
town. Known as a health food Mecca, Asheville is known as one of the
centers of oranic and natural foods. Asheville has 70,000 residents and
is also known as the hometown of author Thomas Wolfe. The Blue Ridge
Parkway is a a very scenic two lane highway which runs over 400 miles
from Virginia to North Carolina through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It
ends at the entrance to Smoky Mountain National Park. The Blue Ridge
Parkway is usually the National Park Services most popular destination
with over 20 millon visitors annually. Asheville is very
dog-friendly and has much to do with your dog on a vacation here.
Getting here or leaving using the Blue Ridge Parkway will provide both
you and your dog a very scenic trip as well.

For a town of its size, Asheville has lots of
dog-friendly lodging. You can
find hotels representing all of the
major chains here as well as some nice independent venues. From high
end properties such as the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, Hotel
Indigo or the Crowne Plaza Resort to quality stays at Red
Roof
Inn, Rodeway, Pet-friendly Motel 6 or Comfort Inn. There is a
pet-friendly Residence Inn and Extended Stay America if you are going
to be in town a while and want more space for you and your dog. Many
people who head to the North Carolina mountains will want to stay in
vacation rentals. The Spring Pond Cabin and Carolina Mornings/Asheville
Cabins offer cabins for visitors. There are also many other local
vacation home rentals that are dog-friendly.

Camping
in tents as well as travelers with RVs are very common in the area. For
families with kids, there is a dog-friendly Jellystone Park in nearby
Fletcher. There is a KOA in Candler. The Bear Creek RV Park is in
Asheville and tent camping can be had in the Pisgah National Forest
which allows leashed pets on most trails or at Creekside Mountain
Camping. There is plentiful camping at many stops along the
Blue
Ridge Parkway.

There are a number of pet-friendly
shopping venues for those who
desire to shop with their dogs. The
dog will insist on a stop at Three Dog Bakery. Tractor Supply and, of
course, Petsmart are dog-friendly. For a dog-friendly shopping center
try the Biltmore Village or the Grove Arcade Public Market. Both of
these shopping centers allow dogs in the common areas and a large
percentage of stores will allow them inside. They also have
dog-friendly patio dining at each of the centers. There is a lot of dog-friendly
outdoor dining in town with
menus ranging from Pizza to health food
to specialties from all parts of the globe. Dining with your dog at a
patio restaurant will not be too difficult in Asheville.

What
to do with your dog while in town?
Take them on the dog-friendly
Asheville Historic Trolley Tour. George Vanderbilt's famous Biltmore
Estate covers 4 acres and a working farm. Dogs are welcome in all
outdoor areas of the estate. They are also allowed in many of the
stores at the Biltmore Estate. There is a pet-friendly ghost tour, the
North Carolina Arboretum and take in the Shakespeare in the Park
Shakespearean Festival if your dog is a fan of the famous British play
writer.

The Blue
Ridge Parkway was the nation's
first rural parkway that connects
Virginia near Shenandoah
National Park (which is very
dog-friendly) and Charlottesville
with the Smoky
Mountain National Park (not so
dog-friendly). This is a 400 mile
beautiful drive. Asheville
is near the southern end of the Parkway. Dogs are allowed at the camping
areas on the parkway and on most
trails on the parkway as long as
they are leashed. There are a number of campgrounds along the length of
the Parkway including a KOA at Boone, Rivercamp USA in Piney Creek and
Linville Falls Campground in Linville Falls. You can hike with a
leashed dog in the Pisgah National Forest which spreads throughout the
Carolina mountains. In Cashiers North Carolina, be sure to see
Whitewater Falls, at 411 feet high, these are the highest waterfalls
east of the Rockies. Yes, that makes them higher than Niagara.

There are a number of dog-friendly
attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Grandfather Mountain is
very dog-friendly. This rugged mountain is filled with hiking trails
and natural beauty. At an altitude of 4000 feet there is a swinging
bridge. We did take our dog across this bridge on our visit to
Grandfather Mountain but you should decide if it's appropriate for your
dog. It can be windy at this elevation. Grandfather Mountain
is
in Linville North Carolina. Dogs are not allowed to ride the Tweetsie
Railroad but they are allowed on the premises where there is
entertainment and special events. Dogs may be allowed on some of the
rafting trips by Wahoo's Adventures in Boone. Dogs are also allowed
throughout the Emerald Village Mining Museum in Little Switzerland, NC.

Real brands. Unreal savings. Asheville Outlets is a pet friendly, open air center conveniently located off I-26 at Exit 33. Shop and save up to 70% off America's most desired brands at close to 75 stores.

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